A couple of weekends ago, I stayed a night at one of Singapore’s most expensive and luxurious hotels – the Capella Singapore. The main purpose of this stay was burn up some GHA Discovery D$ that were expiring in a couple of months, and also get across the line to GHA Titanium status. Since it…
Review: Singapore Airlines 777-300ER First Class SIN-CGK
I’ve been fortunate in my previous jobs to have had the pleasure of enjoying First class on routes as nearby as Brunei, and as far as Houston (when it was operated by the 77W via Moscow). There’s normally no real reason to fly First class on such a short flight, but of course I wanted…
Review: New Singapore Airlines The Private Room, Changi Airport T3
The new The Private Room finally brings the SIA ground experience on par with the best globally, and befitting of the onboard experience. After a Covid-induced delay, Singapore Airlines finally opened new The Private Room (TPR) and First Class lounges at the end of May 2022. When the opening was announced, I figured I should…
Qantas Asks Management to Volunteer as Baggage Handlers
A couple of days ago, it was reported that Qantas (QF) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Colin Hughes had sent an email to senior executives and managers, asking them to volunteer as baggage handlers on a part-time basis. Qantas is reportedly looking for at least 100 volunteers at Sydney and Melbourne airports. This makes sense since…
Review: Conrad Koh Samui (Five Islands View Pool Villa)
The Conrad Koh Samui may be a little isolated, but it makes up for it with lovely rooms and great views. A few service kinks to work out, but overall an excellent stay. A friend once described the Conrad Koh Samui to me as an “influencer magnet”. I disagree with that notion – in my…
My 2022 Mid-Year Airline and Hotel Status Progress
As we’re a little past the middle of 2022, I thought I’d share what my airline and hotel status goals are for the year, and my progress to hitting these statuses. Everyone has different programmes that work best for them. Choice of loyalty programmes depend on travel patterns and for many, on corporate agreements as…
Review: Waldorf Astoria Bangkok (King Corner Suite)
Hilton Honors loyalists are spoilt for choice in Bangkok, with both a Conrad and Waldorf Astoria plus a plethora of lower brands. On my trip to Bangkok in March 2022, I set out to stay at both the Conrad and Waldorf Astoria. I will admit I had a degree of wariness when deciding to stay…
Review: Conrad Bangkok (Executive Room)
While the main purpose of my Thailand trip was to try the Singapore Airlines 737-8 Business Class, I was also keen to check out the luxury Hilton properties in Bangkok. Up until 2020, I had been a Marriott loyalist, but I then switched to Hilton. Bangkok boasts both a Conrad and a Waldorf Astoria, so…
Review: Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas
After getting off my Singapore Airlines 737-8 Business Class flight to Phuket, my next stop was the Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas. Since I was only on Phuket for one night, I opted to stay in the Mai Khao area as this was fairly close to the airport, about 20min drive away. While…
Nice: Air New Zealand Reveals New Cabin Products
All photos in this article from Air New Zealand Air New Zealand has today (29 June) revealed their new cabin products that will take flight on 787-9 Dreamliners to be delivered from 2024. Compared to their current cabin product, this represents a nose-to-tail transformation. There’s new seats in all cabin classes, plus a new Business…